We gather the best of the science, gather you, and create a space for you to feel supported, loved, seen, and renewed. We bring our best experience, so you get the most from yours.

The Forum Team

Jeff Snipes
Founder and Chairman

Jeff has more than 20 years of experience facilitating Forum for business leaders and educators. He has led several education-related organizations and facilitated scores of conscious leadership circles and retreats. Jeff currently serves on the boards of Mindful Schools and Education Superhighway, and advises select San Francisco Public Schools on the implementation of Mindful SEL programs for faculty and students. He is also the Chairman and Founder of Millennium School, where he leads the mindfulness, Forum, and "Life, Learning & Leadership" programs. Previously, Jeff served on the board of Stanford's Challenge Success and Marin Montessori School, where he helped launch a model whole-student progressive middle school. Jeff’s deep knowledge of developmental psychology grows out of his personal journey into contemplative practices and tenure as CEO of one of the largest U.S. blended leadership development companies.

Margaret Golden, Ed.D.
Director, Forum Program

Margaret brings 40 years of experience as a teacher and educational leader to her work as the Director of Millennium Forum. She holds an M.A. and Ed.D in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and is passionate about educational equity and the creation of trustworthy spaces for engaging in heartfelt, often difficult, conversations. Margaret is an Emerita professor at Dominican University of California where she served for 17 years supporting teachers and educational leaders to create socially and emotionally supportive, developmentally appropriate, schools and classrooms. Prepared as a facilitator by the Center for Courage and Renewal in 2005, Margaret directed the Courage to Teach and Leading Together programs, based on the work of Parker J. Palmer, designed to honor presence, mindful listening, and mutual respect for the inner and outer realities of teaching and learning. She is the co-author of Teach Our Children Well: Essential Strategies for Urban Classrooms (Heinemann, 2001) and Courage in Multicultural Initiatives (Jossey-Bass, 2013). She also served as the editor of Teaching and Learning from the Inside Out: Revitalizing Ourselves and Our Institutions (Jossey-Bass, 2012). The mother of two amazing daughters, Caroline and Savannah, she enjoys the practice of yoga, long walks in the hills, travels to the sea, and quality time with family and friends near and far.  

Todd Holcomb, M.S. Ed., J.D.
Chief Knowledge & Experience Officer

Todd has twenty-five years of experience collaborating with CEOs and their leadership teams to forge fresh futures—starting with a clear purpose, then igniting everyone around it. He is a design thinker, with a deep practice in developing original, daring ideas—harnessing the creative genius in every individual—to further meaningful change in the world. He has helped to shape and design brand experiences at IBM, Brand Jordan, Gap, Nike, and Paypal, just to name a few. He is equally passionate about education. Todd has helped build innovative curriculum in Systems Thinking and Entrepreneurship at Avenues The World School, helped launched the XQ Super School initiative, led the education non-profit The Future Project, and served on the board at Marin Montessori School, as well as the Oberlin Dance Company, where he helped to launch the new ODC Dance Commons for greater access to all creative talent in San Francisco.

Advisors

Daniel Rechtschaffen
Director, Mindful Education

Daniel is one of the premier leaders in the field of mindful education in the U.S. He is the author of “The Way of Mindful Education” and “The Mindful Education Workbook”. He is the founding director of Mindful Education, which hosts online courses, consulting, and an annual conference on mindfulness for educators at the Omega Institute. He is a co-founder of the year-long Transformative Educational Leadership program with Linda Lantieri and Meena Srinivasan. Daniel is an active partner with Millennium, advising on curriculum design, moderating Forums, training other moderators, and coordinating partners.

Wendy Baron, MA

Wendy Baron, MA, is a teacher, coach, author, researcher, and leader in the field of social, emotional, and academic development (SEAD). Wendy co-founded New Teacher Center in 1998, and the Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley New Teacher Project in 1988 after supervising student teachers at UCSC, and teaching K-6 for 13 years. Wendy served as Chief Academic Officer and Chief Social and Emotional Learning Officer at New Teacher Center, overseeing professional development for coaches, teachers, and school leaders as well as conducting grant-funded Ramp;D projects to learn more about social-emotional-academic integrated instruction. Wendy is passionate about creating cultures and climates where students and educators thrive and currently coaches teachers and school leaders to implement district-selected SEL programs as well as integrated SEAD. Certified in yoga and meditation, Wendy launched the Chopra Center’s online learning program and also teaches mindfulness and conscious communication at 1440 Multiversity.

Gabrielle Thurmond

Gabrielle Thurmond is an Education Support Strategist and Coach. Her work focuses on educator well-being, social emotional growth and development, and Restorative Justice. With over 20 years experience as a teacher and site administrator, Gabrielle has trained more than 700 educators. More recently, she became a certified yoga instructor. Outside of work, Gabrielle enjoys traveling, walking 5K and 10K races, and taking her dog to the beach.